A Fallbrook man who was shot to death by his mother-in-law had abused his wife for years, according to emotional testimony in a Vista courtroom on Wednesday.

The daughter of 65-year-old murder defendant Cynthia Cdebaca said her husband physically and verbally assailed her, broke his teen son’s pricey electronics and sprayed family members with water if they misbehaved. He once threw out the urn containing the ashes of Cdebaca’s late husband, the daughter said.

The prosecution did not dispute the allegations, but argued the her son-in-law’s behavior was not life-threatening and that Cdebaca’s actions were not justified.

Cdebaca has admitted shooting 53-year-old Geoward Estaquio about 8 a.m. on Feb. 11, 2014 — her 63rd birthday — after he made a snide comment to her. She shot him 12 times — going out to her car twice to retrieve more bullets and reload — then grabbed breakfast at a diner, ditched the gun, and gambled for a bit at a Temecula casino. Detectives found her that afternoon at a Fallbrook coffee shop.

Cdebaca, who was in a wheelchair in court, has pleaded not guilty to murder. She faces up to 50 years to life. Jurors can also consider voluntary manslaughter or self defense.

Closing arguments in the trial started Wednesday. Prosecutor Keith Watanabe told the jury Cdebaca made herself “judge, jury, and executioner.” Defense attorney William Stone said his client snapped after seeing her family abused, after knowing the depth of what was happening.

“She knew enough that she was overwhelmed,” Stone said.

In shooting Estaquio "she acts out of rashness. She acts out of emotions," Stone said. "The only verdict that fits here is manslaughter."

Cdebaca lived at the home in Fallbrook’s gated Peppertree Park neighborhood with her daughter Laura Salinas, Estaquio and the couple’s children, ages 12 and 15 at the time.

She didn’t testify in her murder trial, but in a videotaped interview on the day of the shooting Cdebaca told detectives she fired the fatal shots to protect her family from Estaquio, a reservist with the California Air National Guard.

Cdebaca, who lived in a granny flat on the property, repeatedly told detectives that her son-in-law was “mean” and “evil,” and that she was afraid of him.

When sheriff’s detectives told her Estaquio was dead, she raised her hands over her head and loudly cheered “thank you” three times. She also tried to shake the detectives’ hands.

Cdebaca suffered a major stroke on Sept. 11, 2001, and has not been the same since, her daughter testified.

Before closing arguments, Salinas testified about the depth of abuse by her husband, and said that her mother insisted on living with her after spotting bruises on her daughter’s arms.

Asked by Stone if her husband’s behavior was abusive, Salinas said “I can say that now. Yes. It was.”

She said her husband was “very volatile,” and that he would sometimes spray her mother with a hose. She said he once pushed her mother to the ground when she tried to intervene in a spousal argument. He also threw out the urn containing Cdebaca’s late husband’s ashes because “he just wanted to get rid of it,” Salinas said.

She also said she had been too embarrassed to disclose the range and types of abuse to authorities or to reach out for help.

“I loved him,” Salinas said, “and I always thought things were going to get better and I would somehow help him.”

On cross examination, Salinas said she did not want her husband dead, and that he did not deserve to die.

Closing arguments are slated to finish Thursday, and the jury will begin deliberations.